Abstract: A beam shaper is provided that includes two optical elements arranged one behind the other along an optical axis. Each optical element has at least one optically active freeform surface. The optical elements are arranged displaceable by a relative displacement against each other along at least one axis substantially perpendicular to the optical axis. The optically active freeform surfaces have a height profile, which is a polynomial expansion having polynomial coefficients different from zero in finitely many polynomial orders. At least one polynomial coefficient, assigned to a polynomial order greater than three, is different from zero. The height profiles of the at least two freeform surfaces are selected such that input beams distributed rotationally symmetric about the optical axis with a Gaussian beam density profile are diffracted into output beams which are limited in a receiving plane within a rectangular cross section and are uniformly distributed about the optical axis.

Abstract: A modular system of optical components comprising a phase plate, a focusing lens, and a beam expander. The optical components are each mounted in a housing, which has a first and second fine thread. The first and second fine threads are formed such that they can be screwed together. The mounted phase plate is set up such that, together with an aspherical focusing lens, arranged downstream in the optical path, it forms a focus beam shaper for transforming light, collimated to the optical axis, with a wavelength and an input beam density distribution having a Gaussian profile into an output beam density distribution with an alternating beam density profile in at least one image plane.

Abstract: A modular system having at least one top-hat beam shaper and at least one beam expander for diffraction-limited changing of the diameter of a beam bundle, collimated to the optical axis, of monochromatic light with the same wavelength. The at least one top-hat beam shaper is set up for transforming light, collimated to the optical axis, with a wavelength and an input beam density distribution having a Gaussian profile into light, collimated to the optical axis, of an output beam density distribution with a top-hat profile with a plateau homogeneity of at most 0.133 and an edge steepness of at least 0.4. The optical components are mounted in a housing, which has a first and second fine thread formed such that they can be screwed together, wherein during the screwing together the optical axes of screwed-together optical components are aligned within the diffraction-limited divergence.

Abstract: A one-piece optical element for focusing an input bundle of collimated rays around an optical axis in a focal region around a focal point. The optical element is bounded on the entry side by a truncated cone centered relative to the optical axis with a top surface pointing toward the light entry and bounded on the exit side by a cone with a cone tip pointing toward the light exit on the optical axis and a rotationally symmetric aspheric boundary surface arranged around the cone. The cone is formed as a complementary cone to the truncated cone. The aspheric boundary surface is formed as a partial surface of the convex surface of a plano-convex aspheric converging lens with a focal point located behind the light exit of the optical element on the optical axis.

Abstract: A reflective beam former for changing a diameter of a collimated light beam. A first mirror surface of a first curvature type, a second mirror surface and a third mirror surface are in a beam path; the shapes of the surfaces cause a collimated light beam entering the beam former via a first or third mirror surface to leave via the third or first mirror surface, respectively. The beam former includes several third, curved mirror surfaces of a second, different curvature type, one type being convex, the other concave. The second mirror surface is a plane mirror surface with an axis perpendicular to the plane mirror surface, and is in the beam path between the first and one selected from the several third mirror surfaces such that the surfaces are confocal to each other. The beam former includes a selector for selecting one of the several third curved mirror surfaces.

Abstract: A beam focuser for focusing an entrance bundle of approximately collimated beams around an optical axis in a focus area around a focal point. Along the optical path from the light inlet to the light outlet, a first axicon with an axicon angle, and subsequently a second axicon with the same axicon angle are arranged on the inlet side, and an imaging optical system is arranged on the outlet side. The first and second axicon are disposed mirror-symmetrically along the optical axis. The imaging optical system has a focal point which faces the outlet side of the beam focuser.

Abstract: A refractive beam shaper that includes multiple meniscus lenses arranged along their optical axes. Each meniscus lens has a concavely curved surface for entry or exit of a light beam and a convexly curved surface for exit or entry of the light beam. Both surfaces have curvatures such that a collimated light beam entering the respective meniscus lens parallel to an optical axis thereof exits again, as a collimated light beam, with a diameter that is altered compared with the entering light beam. To prevent aberrations, at least one of the two surfaces of each meniscus lens has a predetermined aspherical shape.

Abstract: A reflective beam former for changing a diameter of a collimated light beam. A first mirror surface of a first curvature type, a second mirror surface and a third mirror surface are in a beam path; the shapes of the surfaces cause a collimated light beam entering the beam former via a first or third mirror surface to leave via the third or first mirror surface, respectively. The beam former includes several third, curved mirror surfaces of a second, different curvature type, one type being convex, the other concave. The second mirror surface is a plane mirror surface with an axis perpendicular to the plane mirror surface, and is in the beam path between the first and one selected from the several third mirror surfaces such that the surfaces are confocal to each other. The beam former includes a selector for selecting one of the several third curved mirror surfaces.

Abstract: A one-piece optical element for focusing an input bundle of collimated rays around an optical axis in a focal region around a focal point. The optical element is bounded on the entry side by a truncated cone centered relative to the optical axis with a top surface pointing toward the light entry and bounded on the exit side by a cone with a cone tip pointing toward the light exit on the optical axis and a rotationally symmetric aspheric boundary surface arranged around the cone. The cone is formed as a complementary cone to the truncated cone. The aspheric boundary surface is formed as a partial surface of the convex surface of a plano-convex aspheric converging lens with a focal point located behind the light exit of the optical element on the optical axis.

Abstract: A beam focuser for focusing an entrance bundle of approximately collimated beams around an optical axis in a focus area around a focal point. Along the optical path from the light inlet to the light outlet, a first axicon with an axicon angle, and subsequently a second axicon with the same axicon angle are arranged on the inlet side, and an imaging optical system is arranged on the outlet side. The first and second axicon are disposed mirror-symmetrically along the optical axis. The imaging optical system has a focal point which faces the outlet side of the beam focuser.

Abstract: A refractive beam shaper that includes multiple meniscus lenses arranged along their optical axes. Each meniscus lens has a concavely curved surface for entry or exit of a light beam and a convexly curved surface for exit or entry of the light beam. Both surfaces have curvatures such that a collimated light beam entering the respective meniscus lens parallel to an optical axis thereof exits again, as a collimated light beam, with a diameter that is altered compared with the entering light beam. To prevent aberrations, at least one of the two surfaces of each meniscus lens has a predetermined aspherical shape.